US President Donald Trump on Thursday criticised American technology companies for sending jobs and manufacturing abroad, with specific reference to India. Speaking at an AI summit in Washington, he said winning the artificial intelligence race would require a renewed sense of national loyalty from US-based firms.
Trump said that many of the country's top tech firms had benefited from American freedoms while moving operations overseas. He listed China, India, and Ireland as key destinations for factories, jobs, and profits, adding that companies had, in the process, distanced themselves from their American users. He urged the industry to prioritise domestic interests and commit fully to the US.
“For too long, much of our tech industry pursued a radical globalism… building factories in China, hiring workers in India, and slashing profits in Ireland,” Trump said while sspeaking at an AI summit in Washington. He called on Silicon Valley to “put America first” and commit to domestic investment. “Those days are over,” he added.
“Winning the A.I. race will demand a new spirit of PATRIOTISM and NATIONAL LOYALTY in Silicon Valley," says @POTUS.
"Many of our largest tech companies have reaped the blessings of American freedom while building their factories in China, hiring workers in India ... Under… pic.twitter.com/cwslRYFwi2The comments came as a trade agreement between India and the US is expected anytime soon.
Trump has previously raised concerns about outsourcing to India. In May, he said he had warned Apple of a possible 25% tariff if it did not move iPhone production from India to the United States. Apple has increasingly relied on India for manufacturing as it looks to diversify beyond China.
Foxconn, Apple's main iPhone assembler, has committed an additional $1.5 billion to its Indian unit to expand capacity. Apple produced iPhones worth $22 billion in India in the year ending 31 March 2025, a 60% rise from the previous year, according to a Bloomberg report.
India has also featured in Trump's trade actions. He had previously described it as one of the world's highest tariff-imposing countries. He said India had proposed a deal offering to eliminate tariffs on US goods. In April, Trump introduced a 26% reciprocal tariff on Indian imports. The tariff was paused until Aug. 1 to allow trade talks to continue. India, however, has not yet received a formal notification, unlike over 20 other countries.
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